Canyon Blog: The Caption Copyedit

What Our Canyon Photos Left Out

1Before our family trip, I planned a blog post made mostly of photographs. My name is Zadie, and I usually prefer captions to paragraphs. A canyon seemed like the perfect subject: point the camera, capture the view, and let everyone admire it. On our first morning, though, my brother Ren asked why every photograph made the place look empty. Our family was standing right there, arguing about who had packed the crackers.

2At the overlook, Dad handed me the camera. A harsh, relentless wind pushed against my jacket. Ren held the map against his knees. Mom waited beside the railing. I took six pictures before checking whether anyone else wanted a turn. In each picture, I carefully kept our family out of the frame.

3Later, we followed a marked walking route along the canyon rim. Mom carried a red nylon pouch with our snacks. Ren stopped to sketch a bend in the canyon, and Dad studied the route map. I kept walking ahead, certain that the next viewpoint would improve my post. When I returned, Ren showed me a drawing that included all four of us. His figures were tiny, but each person was doing something different.

4That evening, I looked through my photographs on the room’s small wooden desk. The canyon walls filled the screen, yet I could barely remember which picture belonged to which stop. Ren’s drawing brought back our conversation immediately. I opened my draft and added the moment when Dad offered everyone crackers from an almost empty packet. Then I described Mom trying to fold the map while the wind kept opening it.

5The finished post still included photographs, but the captions did more work. One explained why Ren’s sketchbook had a dusty corner. Another recorded our disagreement about the best view. I left one picture slightly crooked because it showed Dad laughing at the edge. Before publishing, I asked each person to check the details. Ren approved his sketch caption but requested one correction: he had shared his crackers first.